Heading North

Hello,

Minnesota has had a long winter this year, and it looks like spring is still a ways off. I'm not, personally, fond of the frigid temperatures and snowfall but find that winter offers some beauty.

To celebrate my sister's birthday, my family took a trip to northern Minnesota. This is something I would not have chosen to do on my own. Close quarters and togetherness are things I am not used to any more. Still, I decided to join them and see what there was to photograph in the area.

During the three days we spent in the frigid north, temperatures barely peaked above zero degrees (about -18ºC). Still, I went out snowshoeing daily. The first day out, I took this next photo of my father snowshoeing between the pine trees.

It may come as a surprise to those of you who live in warmer climates to know that it is actually the clear days, not the overcast snowy ones, that tend to be the coldest. Before leaving for home, my sister and I walked down to the frozen lake. The first rays of sunlight made the snowflakes sparkle.

As you can see from the next photo, driving conditions were not ideal. Fortunately, I wasn't driving and the trip was mostly uneventful.

It was nice to be back in Mankato, though I would much prefer to be somewhere warmer.

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